Sunday, March 25, 2012

Life In The 21st Century

It's a strange and wonderful world we live in. Even though my art is an old craft - I use modern technology to work in it every day. The best cutting and measuring tools made, the finest needles and scissors, a wonderful sewing machine (although it is over 75 years old) and the most contemporary of communication devices.

Here are a few pictures taken on my camera/phone/wi-fi device in the last few days.

Strawberry and Asparagus salad that Bill and I ate several times this week.

A magnolia tree on Gibby's and my daily walk.

The roast chickens from last night's dinner. *

(* these juicy, delectable chickens will be the ingredients for several meals this week. What you don't see in the picture is the house filled with smoke. My roasting technique of choice is to roast in a 500 degree oven for 50 minutes. Really. In my old oven it wasn't a big deal. In my new oven - let's just say we're glad the neighbors didn't call the fire department. That is how much smoke was billowing out the windows. So-long to my favorite roasting technique. If your oven can handle it - it makes for an extremely juicy bird)

This is my wagon/coffee table/work table that moves around to where I'm working. On it you can see several works in progress. No "cleaning up for photos" here, people. This is how I live.

This is a new pattern I am working on. This, and several other patterns featuring Independence Trail will be revealed in a week or so.

While the technology wonders of the 21st century are, well, wonderful....... they can also be a pain. Let me tell you about my old email address.......

I set up an email account when I got my first computer over 12 years ago. It worked fine for quite a long time. It was set up with the Internet carrier I had at the time - AT&T. Well, it's not so great now. We haven't been AT&T customers for awhile. Not that we had a problem with them at the time - it's just that we bundled our technology accounts for a better deal - you know, cable-Internet-phone. Well, then my old computer was hacked. They, whoever they are are spewing out spam from that email account. Oh, how I wish I could stop it. The password that I set up the account with doesn't work. I have contacted AT&T several times and it seems their hands are tied. Since I am no longer a customer - they cannot help me. Corporate policy or something like that. I asked if I sign up again as a customer could they help. No. They cannot give me access to an old account. So....... on a regular basis that account sends out spam from my old account. I don't use this account anymore and have had a new email address for some time. Geesh.

If you are getting this spam, I am truly, truly sorry. All I can tell you is to block that email address from your account. You would know it if you are getting it as it has spammed several times this week. You can still reach me at the new email address and by clicking on "contact us" on our website.

This we can't help you is a bunch if baloney. If someone was driving down the street dumping trash on the road time and time again, someone would do something.. and spam is TRASH. Perhaps the first level of phone people can't do anything but on to the managers......

Luving your portable work table.... what a great idea...luving your peeks at your new patterns and Independence Trail. Your strawberry and asparagus salad looks delicious and the chicken baked to perfection. This modern technology frustrates me....still have my flip phone with pull out antenna. It still works but the battery doesn't hold the charge very well...I suppose I will be getting a new phone soon...wish me luck...Happy Sunday Laurie...:o)

Love the sneak peeks--I guess I will have to start swapping my tans for grays--it looks great! I think I would be afraid to do my chickens at 500 degrees--my smoke alarm goes off when I make toast. It would save a lot of time though--my last beer can chicken took over 2 hours before it reached the right temp. Sorry about your email troubles!Karen in Breezy Point

Love the traveling table. I would do that but there is so much cr*p everywhere here I would have to carry the wagon. Bummer about the spam. I do delight in receiving it though. What does that say about me.

(apparently according to your robot catching word verification it makes me a pansi!)

I do love how your mind wanders and your mouth (typing) babbles!!! You are REAL and that is why we fifty+ gals relate to you so well.Thanks for talking about something we all don't fully understand and yet understand!!

I like to use a high heat for roasting as well, but I have to disconnect the smoke alarms when I do it otherwise we are deafened by the sirens, then of course I have to reconnect them, :( so I tend to do my roasting outside in the bbq.

The new pattern looks gorgeous, I don't do a lot of applique but I may have to make an exception for this, waiting to see more.

I just talked to my friend that has worked at at&t for many years in my area. He said to email or call the at&t helpdesk. Ask them to help you reset your password. You will be asked for your security questions. I forgot mine, so I told them what folders I had set up in the email.Then you will get a new password, and you can reset the password to stop the spaming.My friend said that you can access the account from IE.

Mmmm Today is a blustery day;I may cook some chooks for supper. Thanks for the idea.Isn't March a good month this year? We all get to enjoy a taste of early spring, no pressing holidays so that eases some of extra stress but we can relax, work inside some days,outside on others. The fresh winds bring in lots of spring fever and we can enjoy your photos.They are beautiful!

I agree with Karen....ask for a supervisor at AT&T and tell them you want to reset the password. Even if you aren't with them any longer the account is still open so you should be able to reset it. If criminals spent as much time doing honest work as they do trying to do evil, they'd be billionaires! And remember to once a month or so....change all other passwords. One of my accounts got hacked and now I do this faithfully. I keep a little handwritten log so I don't forget them. SWarren

You may want to try placing a layer of sliced potatoes under your chicken - (I roast mine on a broiler pan). The potatoes absorb the juices before they drop and burn and smoke... (CooksIllustrated tip from High Roast chicken recipe I've used)

Hellooo!! I've been away from the blogging world for a bit - went to FL, had my grandgirls for their spring break, beach, yada, yada... and trying to get used to this new computer - ugh!! I must say - What a beautiful tree!! Sort of like the Bradford Pears here, beautiful, but they don't last long (turn green). That magnolia I've never seen, we have a different type I guess in the south. Funny about roasting the chicken - I might try it. I also have one of those stone bowls type things- it roasts pretty quickly.If ever I come across an old wagon, I'm soooo stealing your idea of the coffee table - wheel it back and forth to MY chair (after all the table beside me is full!!!!) Independence Trail lookis super piled up there!!!